Rapha Softshell Trousers

Rapha Softshell Trousers feel like riding in your favourite pyjama bottoms - only more weatherproof and well suited to cycling in the UK weather.

Don't quote me on this but I think softshells were invented by the same people who make spaceships. The material seems to posses mystical powers that manage to moderate what the weather gods hurl at us while we try and enjoy cycling in the bi-polar British climate.

It is pretty weather resistant, but you need to keep active to achieve its warmth benefits. The polyester soft shell isn't totally waterproof but the water resistant coating deflects enough water for light rain showers to bead off. In torrential rain the trousers do become saturated but retain their shape and don't stretch out like some other stretchy fabrics do.

Even in their most soggy state the trousers are comfortable and didn't grate my crotch, a sign of a good cut and fit. More importantly, they dry out really fast which means that if you stand by the radiator after getting soaked riding to the pub you should be dry by the time you finish your first pint. Although your undercrackers will still be damp.

Having a luxurious soft brushed lining gives these a warm comforting feeling like wearing your favourite pyjamas, but probably best that you don't go commando in these. With the high level of insulation they provide, I thought these would be too warm, but the material wicks sweat really well and they are so breathable that I didn't feel uncomfortable. Probably not the choice of legwear for temperatures above 20 degrees - but then those days are what shorts were designed for.

Designed for the worst conditions the city throws at you, the Softshell Trousers are cut from a breathable and water-resistant material and constructed to last. The membrane design of the softshell fabric means it insulates and simultaneously allows the skin to breath. The trousers are proofed with a water-resistant coating and have a soft brushed tricot lining for comfort and warmth.

The seat panel, the bit that covers your bottom, is constructed from a tougher material, an abrasion-resistant nylon for protection and durability plus the added panel gives a better fit around the gusset. You get surprisingly little chafing around the inner thigh. The nylon panel has more water resistance from the spray from your back wheel which can be a bonus - although it does make your bum slip around like someone has greased your saddle.

The stretch waistband has a soft gripper and at the rear is a neoprene panel to protect from road spray and keep your backside warm. This gives the trousers quite a high waist, something Simon Cowell would appreciate. This isn't the sort of trouser that you wear hanging off your arse like you are some kind of fashionable yoof, remember, these are weatherproof trousers and the high waist is essential for not catching a chill. Remember what your mother told you. You soon appreciate what benefit that high waistband and a tucked in under layer can do for you when the temperature drops.

The straight cut and flat fronted nature of these trousers and the high waist band give it a kind of chino look. A waterproof lined zip pocket on the rear keeps your wallet from going limp. Another tiny little zip pocket on the front is handy to stash very small things in, possibly. And my favourite pocket is what I will name the 'Houdini' pocket which is like a hidden compartment within your pocket which does a great job of making things disappear then reappear after you think they are lost. Or, for those who don't believe in magic, a pocket sleeve that stops things from falling out when you are sat down. Genius.

Nice finishes and a nod to cycle safety are the reflective beading found on the seam on the butt and down by the ankle; very subtle but work really well when headlights catch them at night. Rapha's signature one white belt loop complements the other 5 to help you keep these strides up with a belt.

When would you wear these I hear you ask. Well, I found that I would choose them for commutes in foul weather instead of a waterproof over trouser. I am not often seen in Lycra in town, I find it a bit too serious/exposing for my 10 mile hack across the capital. I would wear them a lot more if they were skinnier but without being like tights.

After I got used to wearing what could be mistaken for suit trousers, I have only one main criticism and that is that the bottom of the trouser leg is too wide and has a tendency to flap into the chainset.

At about £3 per inch of these trousers, you don't want them to get churned up in your chainring. With a trouser clip they worked fine. My other concern was what footwear to wear with these. Dainty cycling shoes look odd at the end of straight trousers. Don't they?

Verdict

Lovely comfortable trousers that take on most weather conditions.